Improvement in file-cutting machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. F. MUDGE 8v G. WHITTAKER.

File-Cutting Machine'. A

No. 203,065. PatentedAprl 30,1878.

i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. P. MUDGE. & G. WHITTAKER.

File-Cutting Machine. 10.203,065. Patented April 30,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES F. MUDGE AND GEORGE WHITTAKER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO JAMES TIRRELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FILE-CUTTING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,065, dated April 30, 1878; application filed January 2, 1878.

To all whom 'it may concern: p Be it known that we, CHARLES FREDERICK MU'DGE and GEORGE WEITTAKER, both of Brooklyn, in Kings county, and the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in `Machines for Cutting Files, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention consists in an adjustable tan gholder for embracing the side edges of the u tangs of file-blanks, and for pressing down upon and holding said tangs against vertical motion, whereby tan gs of different-sized blanks may be conveniently secured in place without manipulation of the holder.

Our invention also consists in the combination, with the cutter or its holder, of springs and peculiar .means for adjusting said springs to impart the blows and effect the rebound of the cutter, as may be desired.

Our invention also consists in details of construction to be hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a machine embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a central verti- 1 cal section of the base-piece cutter supporting same, and other parts connected therewith,

all on a larger scale. Fig.' 6 is a transverse section of said traveling swivel-frame, including an end view of the adjustable tangholder on the same scale. Fig. 7 is an enlarged front view of the tool-holder, and Fig. 8 is a side view thereof.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the base-piece of our machine, which is of circular form, is supported on legs a, and is provided.. on the upper surface with a circumferential rabbet,b, for the reception of a rotary rim or annular wheel, B, provided on the under side with a series of gear-teeth, and constituting an inverted annular gearwheel.

A designates a plate secured to the basepiece A by screws, bolts, or otherwise, and overlapping the inner portion of the inverted annular gear-wheel B, so as to secure and hold it in the rabbet b.

C designates a frame, preferably semicircular internally, wherein a traveling bed, D, preferably semicircular externally, is supported, and has alongitudinal motion imparted to it, for the purpose of presenting file-blanks to the cutter N employed to produce teeth thereon. This frame C is preferably so secured to the base-piece A,orcapplateA thereof, that it may be adjusted laterally for the purpose of presenting file-blanks at diierent `angles to the cutter forproducing teeth. We have shown it as provided with lugs c, and bolts d, passing through said lugs. and entering one'or other of a series of screw-sockets, e e, on the cap-plate A, for securing it in different positions. l j

The traveling bed D works on guides or Ways E, (see particularly Fig. 6,) which are secured in place by caps F, and may be adjusted to different vertical positions by means of set-screws G impinging thereon, so as to j tilt or admit of the tilting of the traveling bed D transversely, in order to adapt it to present the surface of Ele-blanks properly to the cut- 1 ter N notwithstanding any irregularities of thickness which may exist in said Ele-blanks, and insure the teeth being produced by the said cutter uniformly throughout the width of the blanks.

It is obvious that if a file-blank were a little thicker at one of its edges than the other, the cutter, providing its lower edge be exactly horizontal, would not uniformly act on the leblank throughout its width Without some provision for compensating for such irregularities o f the thickness.

4The provision afforded by our adjustable guides enables the traveling bed to compensate for such irregularities; and hence these guides form an important feature of our invention.

H'designates a worm or screw supported in the swivel-frame C, extending concentrically through the traveling bed, and engaging therewith, so that when turned it will move the said traveling bed longitudinally in either direction. Dl designates a semicircular screw-threaded nut, pivotcd at one end to the forward end of the travelingbed D, so that it may be swung into contact with the worm or screw H, in order to cause s'aid bed to derive motion therefrom, or may be swung out of contact with said nut to admit of the said bed being stopped or moved backward,

as -may be desirable. D2 is a locking-piece consisting of a button adapted to be adjusted over the nut D1, when it is engaged with the designate devices for securing the body of the file-blanks in place. They consist of a T- piece, J, adapted to impinge against one side of the file-blank and be secured in different positions upon the traveling bed D by means of a bolt, f, passing through a slot in its shank, and of a lever, J, having an eccentric head capable of being forced against the opposite edge of the le-blank, and securing said iileblank tightly in position. K designates the driving-shaft of the machine. It is supported in standards L, erected on the cap-plate A of the base-piece A, and carries a tripperwheel, M, provided with a series of trippingtoes or arms, g, engaging with a stud or projection, h, extending from a cutter-head, N, adapted to move up.and down in guides z', arranged on the standards L at an angle to the traveling bed D. Preferably these guides fi are so constructed that the cutter-head may have play' transversely, and be adjusted at different angles, in order that the angle of the teeth formed on the blank may be modified, as may be desirable. We have shown said guides for this purpose provided with set-screws j, impingin g against the said cross-head, and these devices form a convenient and simple means for adjusting the cutter-head.

O designates a spring, by which the blow of the cutter is produced. It consists, in the present instance, of a liap-sprin g, fitting within a pivotal saddle, O1, supported by the standards L, and impinges upon the upper portion of the cutter-head N, so that, after the release of said cutter-head from the tripper-wheel M, it will be impelled downward with energy.

O2 designates a set screw, supported in a stretcher or cross-bar, O3, connecting the standards L, and impin gin g against the rear portion of the saddle O, so that by turning said setscrew said saddle may be adjusted or tilted,

in order to deflect the spring O more or less and regulate the force exerted by it on the cutter-head N, in order to regulate the blow of the cutter NI for different qualities of fileteeth. y

P'designates springs impinging against the lower edge of the cutter-head N in such manner as to raise the saine and effect the rebound of the cutter N quickly after it shallhave struck the file-blank subjected to it. This spring P is intended to be very much lighter or weaker than the spring O, so as not to materially counteract the action of the latter upon the cutterhead N. It is shown as being secured to an arm or plate, P1, extending from a shaft, P2, supported by the' standards L, and as being adjusted by means of a set-screw, P5, supported in a cross-bar or stretcher, P4, uniting the standards L. By turning said set-screw P3 the force exerted by the spring P may be regulated at pleasure.

The cutter-holder (see particularly Figs. 7 and 8) which we prefer to use consists of a frame, Q, adapted to embrace the end and side edges of the shank of the critter R, and a strap, Q1, extending across the shank of said cutter, and carrying a set screw, Q2, whereby said shank may be securely clamped.

S designates a gear-wheel, mounted on the driving-shaft K, outside of the standards L, and engaging with a pinion, S1, mounted on a shaft, S2, on the outer end of which is an eccentric gear-wheel, S3. This gear-wheel S3 is preferably heartshaped, and engages with a similarly-shaped gear-wheel, S4, mounted on a shaft, S5, carrying a beveled pinion or wheel, S6, which engages with and imparts motion to the inverted annular gear-wheel B intermittingly-or, in other words, with an alternate fast movement and dwell. The said inverted annular gear-wheel B engages with a beveled wheel., T, mounted on a shaft, T1, supported by a bracket or brackets, T2, extending downwardly from the swivel-frame C supporting the traveling bed D. At the outer end of the shaft T1 is a pinion, T3, with which engages oneof a train of wheels, T4 T5 T6, carried by a swinging frame, T7, whereby motion is transmitted to the worm or screw H, for imparting motion to the traveling bed D. This frame T7 may be adjusted by a hand-piece, 7c, to throw the said train of wheels T4 T5 Tti into or out of gear with the said gear-wheel T3, and the said frame may be secured in different positions by means of a bolt, l, passing through a loop or yoke, m, so that it may clamp and hold the same in different positions. By shifting the train of wheels T4 T5 TG into or out of gear with the wheel T3 motion may be imparted to the traveling bed D 5 or the said bed may be stopped at pleasure. Another advantage afforded by this adjustable train of wheels is that it enables a larger or smaller gear-wheel to be substituted for the gear wheel T2, so as to impart a different speed to the traveling bed D.

By substituting for the gear-wheel T2 a gearwheel sufficiently large,and swinging the train of wheels T4 T5 T6 suiciently aside, a reversal of the feed of the said bed may be attained.

The alternate fast movements and dwells produced by the eccentric gear-wheels S3 S4 are transmitted through the inverted annular gear-wheel B, the bevel-wheel T, and the train of wheels T3 T4 T5 Ts, to the traveling bed D, and hence the latter is alternately fed forward and allowed to stop while the le-blank thereon receives the blows of the cutter; wherefore the teeth produced on the file-blank are not damaged, as they would otherwise be, from the shifting of the file-blank during the contact of the cutter with it.

It-will be seen that, by our invention, we provide for 'holding the traveling bed carrying the le-blanks under the cutter stationary during the blows of said cutter; that we provide for adjusting the feed of the traveling bed so as to lspace teeth differently upon the leblank; that we provide for adjusting the said bed at angles, in order to produce file-teeth at different angles on a blank; that we provide for regulating the force of the blow of the cutter through the adjustmentof its actuatingsprings, so as to produce coarse or ine teeth upon a iile-blank; and that we provide for adjustingsaid cutter, through the adjustment of its carrying-head, so that it shall strike the le-blanks at different angles and produce different qualities of teeth thereon.

We prefer to cut teeth on le-blanks from tangl to toe, instead of from toe to tang, (the old way,) as thus we obviate the destruction of the ber of the metal and are enabled to produce a superior file.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

`l. The combination, with atraveling bed, of an adjustable holder for tangs of differentsized le-blanks adapted to automatically impinge against the side edges and top of said tangs and hold them laterally and vertically in place, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the cutter-head, of the slides permitting lateral play of the cutterhead therein, the springs 0, and set-screws j, as and for thev purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the cutter--head M, spring O, pivoted saddle Ol, and adjustingscrew O2, substantially as and for the purpose described. y

4. The combination, in a file-cutting machine, of a bed, externally of segmental shape, for supporting the le blank, a carriage corresponding in shape thereto internally, and a feeding worm or screw concentric with said bed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES E. MUDGE. GEORGE WHITTAKER. Witnesses:

CHANDLER HALL, OWEN PRENTIss. 

